Breaching Walls
by InfinitexJester
Summary: Annie/Mikasa. Annie isn't finding it quite so easy living with the other Recruits as she'd expected it to be - can someone crack through her carefully crafted mask? Currently just fluff but I'm intrigued to carry this on possibly as I have ideas for more scenes. May include other pairings then, if so.


_(Finally attempting to get back off hiatus with fic-writing! I still have a lot of Magi stuff to be working on but here's a quick drabble for another series I haven't written for yet. One of my friends mentioned how she's a big fan of Mikasa/Annie but there isn't a lot of content for this in the fandom so I figured I'd give it a shot. Honestly, not a pairing I really considered much but somehow I really started to like through writing this. Set in the Training Corps arc but don't read unless you're in the current arc of the manga, due to spoilers! I've never written these characters before so I have a feeling I made this a little ooc and didn't do them justice but hope you guys like anyway!)_

She told herself that she didn't care. Annie had been doing that a lot lately – and normally she would even believe it. It was a mask she had grown so used to practicing that it was practically second nature to her now.

_Masks to cover masks..._

She never had approved of how Reiner and Bertholdt had tried to ingratiate themselves with the group. Why bother when you would only inevitably have to leave them? Have to betray them? She'd almost told them too, but bit back on her words, reminding herself that she _didn't care. _More fool them if they started liking these people – these _humans. _

They were too weak; far too easily damaged – training had simply repelled her they were all so damn pathetic. And that loudmouth boy – Yeager, was it? – had challenged her with that confident smile of his. It had rankled her a little – didn't he know how easily _breakable _he was? It had pissed her off enough though to teach the idiot a lesson.

She'd half expected the girl who was always with him to step in then. But Mikasa has simply watched from the sidelines; no emotion on her pale face. Their eyes had caught for a second there, just after she'd laid Eren out.

That girl was strong she knew, and was faintly surprised when she realised she respected Mikasa. She'd make it into the Top Ten for sure. She didn't speak much, like Annie, didn't join in the friendly games and teasing that the rest of the recruits seemed to live off. In fact, her only interest it seemed was in Eren – the actual business of fighting titans was something of an afterthought to her, it seemed. _Why does she think so much of that twerp?_ She thought. Then, almost instantly, _It's not my problem._

She left the field in disgust, her nose wrinkled. Bertholdt had caught her on the way out, his hand holding her too tight on the sleeve of her jacket and those big eyes of his annoyingly soft. She shook him off – didn't he know by now not to approach her in a temper? He'd looked so obviously hurt at that, his mouth puckering slightly and she'd stalked away as fast as her short legs would take her. She didn't want to have to deal with feeling guilty today as well.

Just because she _pretended _indifference to everyone around her didn't mean she wasn'tpaying attention. In fact, she was watching everyone for more closely than she suspected they were her. But her carefully situated role as the outsider in the group would fall to pieces if Bertholdt started showing more familiarity. Did he want to expose the secret the three of them shared so easily? She was paranoid perhaps, but even so, she didn't want any link between them to be obvious.

_Hiding in plain sight, _has been what Reiner had called their mission. She preferred to take precautions even so to cover up their actions. Feelings were messy and got you killed – especially the ones Bertholdt seemed to be harbouring of late. She'd have to do something about that. _Some day. Not today. _A weak part of her she didn't like to admit still existed didn't want to crush him just yet. He was party to their secret too after all and she supposed that made him a friend. _Friend. _The word sounded unfamiliar in her head. What use had she ever had for such a thing?

She needed to get out of here, just a while, precautions be damned. Her body was too tiny and right now she wanted to be large enough to smash stuff. If she left now on the gear, she could be far enough away to avoid detection by lunch. Her fingers flexed a little and her shoulders relaxed more at the thought – Reiner would give her hell for it later but it would be worth it.

Her plans were interrupted though by an unexpected visitor as she was about to leave. As she as weighing up the gas canisters, Mikasa entered the shed too, moving towards to gear as well. Too close to be avoided. She contemplated making a break for it; almost laughed. _Ridiculous – I'd run away from _her? Mikasa jumped when she saw her lurking in the shadows of the supply shelf. She didn't say anything though, her face the customary blankness and merely nodded. _Like a doll, _Annie thought. _That's what she looks like. _She wondered what that face would look like curled into a smile, or transformed by anger. It was a brittle sort of beauty the girl had, unlike the open features of Christa.

_If it weren't for her eyes, I'd think she wears her mask better than I do._

She realised her mouth was open as if to speak. Why was she just standing there and not leaving? Mikasa wasn't even looking at her, busily sorting through the stack of harnesses, filling the gas canisters with practiced movements. Was she going out there too? That irritated her – perhaps she would have to delay her selfish plan of escape after all.

"Training drills in the forest?" She asked, words clipped. Mikasa didn't look up.

"No. Eren wants more balance training before dinner. I just check the rest of the gear out of habit."

That was probably the most she'd ever heard Mikasa say at once. Her lip curled a little at the mention of the boy though. _Eren, again? It's always, Eren, with you! _Still, she supposed there were no obstacles in her way and she turned to leave.

"Wait."

The soft voice reached her ears and she froze, her muscles stiffening. She came back a little, trying to appear unconcerned, bored – wasn't sure she pulled it off this time. The cold sweat on her back was a giveaway if nothing else. Her fingers quivered a little near her blade handles.

"Your harness is loose," Mikasa said and for a second, their eyes met again. "You might want to fix that if you're going out to the forest."

Annie cursed inwardly. Had Mikasa really noticed that? Her eyes narrowed, examining the girl's face for any trace of suspicion, any realisation. She saw none, just a surprising look of concern in the dark eyes that clashed with her vacant expression. No, she hadn't figured out what her careless mistake might mean. After all, why bother with three- dimensional gear when you were only going to discard it for something more... effective?

Her shoulders lost their tension and she nodded slightly at the other girl.

"Thanks," she said and Mikasa turned away, hand unconsciously drawing the red scarf she always wore closer to her face.

She would have left then but part of her wanted to test the girl more, see if she could break that shell of cool civility. Maybe she was just feeling antagonistic today. Since when had people bothered her this easily though?

"Look, about earlier with your brother – I guess I should have gone easy on him."

Mikasa's face twitched a little and then Annie realised with a start, that there was the faintest hint of a smile there touching the red lips.

"No, you shouldn't have. He needed that – he can't make it out there alone yet and someone needed to remind him."

She was surprised at that – hadn't actually expected Mikasa to agree with her.

"You're not jumping to his defence?" She said, tone distrustful.

"Do I always?" She looked like she was seriously thinking that over, as if she'd never realised it before. "Even I know when he's being a brat. I just hope you can forgive him that."

Annie raised an eyebrow. _Well, well, little miss perfect wasn't _completely _oblivious to the boy's fault's then._

She was wasting time here. She struggled for an end to the conversation, tried to remember protocols and figured she could deal with _not _getting on Mikasa's bad side – which beating up her brother may potentially have done.

"About Eren, I guess-"

"You're not sorry. So, don't pretend you are," Mikasa said, her words matter of fact. The utter coolness to them irritated Annie. Didn't this girl ever get upset about _anything? _

"Okay, fine. I'm not sorry." She looked pointedly at the open doorway. "I'm heading off."

She walked fast, not daring to look back again. She'd had enough distraction already.

"Oh, and Annie," The voice stopped her at the door and unbidden she felt her head snap round to the source. Mikasa's face was severe and solemn – the same as always. For a second, she felt a faint tremble of fear clutch her insides – this girl would make a dangerous enemy. _And a dangerous friend. _Then she saw her eyes turn up a little at the edges, crinkling with a startling flash of humour.

"Don't forget to fix that harness. Or I'll be the one calling you an idiot."


End file.
